Wire-stretcher.



Witnesses W y by '/H W. 0. HUTCHINS. WIRE STRETGHER.

APPLIoATIoN FILED AUG. z5, 1910.

1,034,458. Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

f .e Attorneys UNTTD WILLIAM-O, HLTICI-IINS, OF VEBIVIILION GROVE, ILLINOIS.

WIRESTRETCHER Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ang. 6,' 1912.

Application:ftleiA-ugust.25, 1910 Serial No. 578,923.

To all whomttrmay concern:

Be iti known that IgfWILLIAM O; HUTCH- INS, a. citizen ofthe United-States, residing. at Vermilion Grove, in the county of Vermilion and :State of Villinois, have invent`- eda new andv usefull Wire Stretcher, of which the following. fis. 1 specification.

It isthe objectl of thislfinvention to provide, inf a simple,- inerclrantable andi ine-X- pensive form,a wirestretcher which may readily bedisposedin abutment with:v one; of the'p'osts of alfence, and there retained,

in a novel and improved manner, during the stretching operation.

Another obyectloftheinvention 1s to provide novel means forfmounting thfe` tractile' member ofthe stretcher, so that the same may have la 1 swiveled movementi Another objectof the invention -is to provide no-vel means for' assembling the component parts of the wirestretcher, and to provide novel means for actuating'thetractile element of the wire stretcher.

The drawings showtypicalemlbodiments merely, and it is to be understood that changes, properly falling within the scope of what is claimed, may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the accompanying drawings,-l `igure l is a side elevation; Fig. 2 is a top plan; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a portion of t-he device, parts being shown in elevation.

The invention includes, as a primary and fundamental element, a carrying member, comprising a head l, and diverging stakes 2. A screw 3 is swiveled` in the head l, and a nut 4 is rotatably mounted upon the screw, so that the screw may be advanced longitudinally in the head l. The ends of the stakes 2 are adapted to be placed against a fixed abutment, such, for instance, as a fence post 5. The wires 6 of the fence are connected with the screw 3, and by rotating the nut 4, the wires 6 will be drawn taut,

' whereupon they may be stapled, or otherwise secured to the post 5.

In a more detailed description, and referring particularly to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the head l includes a hollow, conical body portion 7 Formed integrally with the conical portion 7, is a plate 8 to which the stakes 2 may be secured by bolts 10 or the like. 4In this plate 8 there are openings 9, adapted to receive the bolts l0, whereby the stakes 2mfay beI held in place upon the plate 8.' T-'he head l likewisel includes atransverse butt blockfll, it being understood that the butt blockllll the plate 8" and the conical portion 7- are preferably cast in one piece. The conical'bore4 of tlie` head is eX'- tendodthrou-ghthe butt block ll, as shown at l2.V Thev end face oflthe butt block ll iS rounded outwardly asshown-at 14.

A plano-concave bearingmember l5 is provided, one end face of which'is rounded as shown a-tfl 16, to correspond with the roundedface 14 of thebuttblo'ck 1l. Thus it: will be seenwthat the bearing-member l5 may move smoothly over the rounded face l4 of the butt block ll. Thel rear face ofthe bearing member l5 `is flat, as -shfownat- 17. There isi-an opening 18 in the center ofthe bearing member l5, and, as seen in Fig. 3, the screw Sinay be inserted axiallythrough the hollow conical' portion 7A of; the head, and throughthe opening l8in the bearing member l5. This "opening 1S in the bearing member is of somewhat larger 'diameter' than the screw 3, so that the screw 3 will lit loosely in the openingl8.

The nut 4 is threaded upon the screw 3 and bears fairly against the fiat rear face 17 of the bearing member l5. This nut 4 has diametrically projecting arms 19, provided with rectangularly disposed extensions 20, whereby the nut may be rotated.

In the forward end of the screw 3 there is an eye 21, adapted to receive a chain 22. The free end of this chain 22 is wound about, or secured in any other desired manner to the wire-holding means 26.

A retractile spring 29 is secured at one end, as denoted by the numeral 30, to the carrying member, preferably, as shown, to the uppermost of the stakes 2. This spring 29 is extended to one side of the carrying member. The free end of this retractile spring 29 may be provided with any suitable means whereby the said spring may be connected with the post 5. If desired, the free end of the spring 29 may carry a hook 3l, provided with spaced prongs 32, which are curved, as seen to best advantage in Fig. 2, so as to extend partway around the post 5 and engage the same. When a hook of this form is used, the wire stretcher may readily be connected with a circular post, or with a square one.

A chain 33 or the like, is secured at one end to the carrying member and is extended therefrom in an opposite direction to the spring 29. The free end of the chain 33 is secured to an earth-engaging pin 34.

The practical operation of the device is as follows. The prongs 32 of the hook 3l are engaged in the post 5, the ends of the stakes 2 being brought into bearing upon the post 5. The chain 33 is then extended laterally from the carrying member, and drawn upon until the carrying member is properly positioned with respect to the post 5, whereupon the pin 34 will be driven into the ground. Owing to the fact that the retractile spring 29 is provided, the carrying member will be held in place upon the post 5. Moreover, this retractile member will permit the carrying element of the structure, comprising as hereinbefore pointed out, the head 1 and the stakes 2, to be swung in a horizontal plane, to secure the desired angle between the carrying member and the wires 6. When the carrying member has been placed in abutment with the post 5, the wire holding means 26 is secured to the wires 6, whereupon the handles 20 may be seized, rotating the nut 4. This rotation of the nut 4 will retract the screw 3, tightening the wires 6.

By reason of the fact that the screw 3 is loosely mounted in the head, the screw and the chain 22 will be in alinement during the operation of the device, so that the screw 3 will be subjected to tensile strain only, the

possibility of bending the screw` beingl avoided. The bearing member 15 will slide readily over the face 14 of the head, the flat rear face 17 of the head giving a proper bearing for the nut 4, even though the screw 3 be tilted laterally, or tilted vertically out of the horizontal.

Having thus described the invention, wha is claimed is v A device of the class described comprising a conical body provided at its smaller end with a transverse butt block, the outer face of which is conveXed; a bearing having a concaved face to fit the convexed face of the butt block, and an oppositely disposed fiat face; a nut to engage the flat face of the bearing; and a screw provided at one end with wire-engaging means, the other end of the screw being extended through the body, through the butt block and through the bearing, into threaded engagement with the nut; the nut being spaced from the butt block, whereby the bearing may move transversely upon the butt block, without bringing the nut and the butt block into engagement.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afliXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM O. I-IUTCHINS.

Witnesses:

BERTRAM Rans, J. S. MORRISON.

C opes of th'is patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

